Objects Record
Images
Metadata
Catalog Number |
2001.19.2.2 |
Object Name |
Cover, Hat |
Title |
Hat Cover, Biltmore Hats Ltd., circa 1930 |
Date |
circa 1930 |
Year Range from |
1925 |
Year Range to |
1935 |
Description |
A printed hat cover produced by Biltmore Hats Limited at some point between 1925 to 1935. The hat cover has a corresponding hat that was purchased by George Young. The cover is made from a yellow cotton and has a printed floral design. The cover has a wire in the bottom to form to the shape of the hat. The top of the hat forms to a point and has yellow trim at the seams. There is a loop at the point to hang the cover. |
Notes |
Historic Context: Biltmore Hat Company Founded in 1917, the Fried-Grill Hat Company was established in Niagara Falls but shortly relocated to Guelph at 154 Suffolk Street two years later. In 1920, Frank Ramsey, Arthur W. Meade, and Edward L. MacDonald purchased the business, rebranding as Biltmore Hats. Operating at Yorkshire and Suffolk Street, Biltmore Hats sailed through the Depression under the leadership of Ramsay, expanding to provide felt hat forms made from rabbit fur to milliners across the country and a second, straw hat division on Yorkshire Street. A workers' strike in 1938 angling for improved working conditions, wages and recognition of their union temporarily halted production and led to the creation of the Hat Workers Union Local 182. The business continued to grow throughout and following the War and in 1947, Biltmore sponsored the local Junior A Hockey Team named the Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters. By the late 1950s, the Biltmore signature felt fur hats were the pinnacle of fashion. Throughout the 1960s and 70s, fashion changed. Biltmore added fabric and straw, and introduced caps, as well as western style and "Rain Away" hats, to the production lines. However, these changes in fashion and a decline in the fur hat industry eventually left the Biltmore Hat Company bankrupt. Between 1982 and 1988, Biltmore filed for bankruptcy. Guelph investors purchased the company's local assets. In 1977, Biltmore's wide brimmed uniform hat was adopted as the official headgear of the Ontario Provincial Police and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. In 2004, an American entrepreneur Eric Lynes approached Biltmore about selling a short-brimmed hat in the American market. By 2005 Lynes had purchased the company entirely. In 2012, Lynes made the difficult decision to close the factory in Guelph and operations were moved permanently to Texas. Biltmore hats continue to symbolize high style, reminiscent of the 1950s, and local pride for the City of Guelph. Updated 2025 |
Artist |
Biltmore Hats Limited |
People |
Young, George |
Search Terms |
Biltmore Hats Limited |
Subjects |
FASHION INDUSTRY & TRADE |
Dimensions |
W-36.9 L-30.9 cm |
Collection |
Textiles |